


It's Too Quiet

by FebruaryFun



Series: Laetus City [1]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Ali Saves the Day, Anxiety, Eli needs a hug, Existential Crisis, Hurt/Comfort, Mable is a Bad Person, Natalie is only mentioned, Panic Attacks, Separation Anxiety, sorta - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-07
Updated: 2019-08-07
Packaged: 2020-08-10 22:21:52
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,050
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20142922
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FebruaryFun/pseuds/FebruaryFun
Summary: I hope you enjoy, Thana!For anyone else, if you've stumbled across this, I think I'm going to make a summary of the universe so far. Short stories based off a roleplay.





	It's Too Quiet

**Author's Note:**

  * For [confinesofpersonalknowledge](https://archiveofourown.org/users/confinesofpersonalknowledge/gifts).

Eli stared at his phone with a frown. He'd been texting with Natalie, but she suddenly stopped responding. He pouted to himself and looked around the living room, where he was currently laying on the couch. His roommate was out on a date and would probably be spending the night with their boyfriend, so he would be alone for the evening. It occurred to him that he should eat something, but it felt too weird to cook for just himself... He could do that later. 

The quiet was bothering him without a distraction, so he turned on the TV for background noise and sat on the floor, grading papers on the coffee table. He was proud of the grades his students were making, with the exception of a few slackers. He was particularly frustrated with this one student who couldn't seem to pull her grades up no matter how hard she insisted she was working. Then again, she always made up an excuse to not do extra credit work or get a tutor. Her absolutely awful quiz was throwing him off, breaking his concentration. The TV was distracting and the show that was on was boring. He finally turned it off out of frustration to try and eliminate some distractions, but that just made it worse.

It was so _quiet_.

Music would probably help, right? He turned on some calming music on his phone for concentration and went back to his papers. Something was still making him tense, though. There was nothing but music. No one else was moving around the house. No one was asleep in the other room. There was no one to talk to or sit with or just... let him know they exist. Because no one else was there.

Eli suddenly stood up. The quiet always bothered him, especially in the evening, but it was far quieter than usual. No neighbors making any noise. No cars outside. No birds. Where was everyone? 

He shook his head, huffing. He wasn't going to spiral down that road again. He wasn't okay being alone that night, but he had papers to grade and Grayscale was closed. Nat wasn't answering his texts, so... He would just text someone else. He scrolled through his messages, smiling when he saw his girlfriend's name. He plopped back down on the couch and slid to the floor, ready to start grading again as he sent her a message. 

Eli: Hey boo <3

Mable: what's up

Eli: Just grading papers

Eli: And missing you

Mable: Awwwww

Eli: My roommate is on a date, I don't think they'll be home until tomorrow. Want to come over?

Mable: my my eli, what are you suggesting ;)

Eli: No, not like that. Just come hang out with me.

Mable: oh

Eli: Please?

Mable: i dunno

Mable: i gotta do some stuff

Eli: You can bring your work with you. I'm grading papers, so we can just talk while we work for a little while.

Mable: boring

Eli: Pretty please?

Mable: :/

Eli: I don't like being alone, especially at night, ok? It would mean a lot to me if you would come over and just sit with me or soemthing.

Eli: *something

Mable: so you want me to come babysit you

Eli: No, I want you to come and hang out with me so I'm not alone.

Mable: you cant be alone for just one night?

Mable: are you 3?

Mable: chill out and turn on some music or something smh

Eli: I did, but it didn't help.

Eli: It's a bad anxiety night. Please come over?

Mable: sry, dont have time to babysit

Mable: i gotta go

Eli: Please babe, it's really bad tonight. Like paranoia/hysteria bad. I need you.

It was a long time before he got a response. Eli was starting to get really nervous, turning the music up a bit and getting up to pace. He practically pounced on his phone when it dinged.

Mable: its not hysteria this time eli. its real

Eli: What? What are you talking about?

Mable: the world is gonna end tonight. everyone is going to turn into dust and die.

Eli: Mable stop messing with me.

Mable: i mean it

Mable: i didnt want to tell you cause i knew youd freak out

Mable: its gonna happen any minute now

Eli: Cut it out.

Mable: Goodbye, Eli. I love you.

Eli: Mable this shit isn't funny. I have a real issue with it.

Eli: Mable?

Eli: This isn't cool.

Eli: Haha funny joke now text back.

Eli: Mable?

Eli's heart started to race. It was just a joke, just a prank, Mable was messing with him. But that would explain why it's so quiet, a voice in the back of his head supplied. Your roommate isn't coming home. You'll never see your friends again, or your girlfriend. You'll never see Madison again.

Eli broke. He didn't remember sitting down, but he found himself sitting against the couch with his knees pulled up to his chest, sobbing. Everyone I knew is dead. I'm alone. I'm alone. I'm alone. He couldn't breathe. He was dying. Is this how everyone else felt when they died? He rubbed his arms frantically, searching for any kind of touch. He was alone. No one was ever going to hold his hand again. No one was going to hug him or hold him or kiss him. He wouldn't see another human being ever again. His lungs strained as spots danced at the edge of his vision. He closed his eyes...

And suddenly got a slobbery kiss on his cheek.

Eli startled and opened his eyes. A lovely brown labradoodle puppy was staring at him, wagging her tail and whining softly. Ali put herself in Eli's lap, forcing his legs from his chest, and rolled over for tummy rubs. Without thinking, Eli lowered his hands and threaded them through her soft fur, using it to ground himself. He managed to take a shuddering breath, pulling the puppy up against his chest. Mable was messing with him. He needed to talk to someone else.

He shakily grabbed his phone.

Eli: Hey 

Madison: Hey yourself

Eli: My roommate isn't going to be here tonight and I'm not feeling great. Can you come over?

Madison: Yeah, I'm on my way.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoy, Thana!
> 
> For anyone else, if you've stumbled across this, I think I'm going to make a summary of the universe so far. Short stories based off a roleplay.


End file.
